Original Research Article
Year: 2021 | Month: October | Volume: 11 | Issue: 10 | Pages: 88-98
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52403/ijhsr.20211012
Utilization of Maternal Health Services: An Experience from Squatter Settlement in Nepal
Sharmila Ranabhat1, Suman Baskota2, Rama Thapa3
1Ex-Assistant Professor and Head of the Department, Department of Rural Development, Tri Chandra Multiple Campus, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal
2Ex-Assistant Professor, Central Department of Statistics, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal
3Graduate Student, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
Corresponding Author: Sharmila Ranabhat
ABSTRACT
Maternal health care services should be accessible to all women during pregnancy, delivery, and the postpartum period. The majority of maternal deaths can be prevented if women utilize maternal health care services appropriately. This study aimed to assess the utilization of maternal health services and explore the barriers in accessing maternal health care services. This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 48 mothers over the age of 18 with one or more children. The data was obtained by interview and focus group discussion using the structured questionnaires and checklists, which included socio-demographic characteristics, and utilization of antenatal care, delivery practice, and postnatal care services. Among 48 mothers, only 35.41% used complete antenatal care services, 66.66% received TT vaccine during pregnancy, 54.16% delivered their last child at the hospital, and only 27.08% received postnatal services as recommended by the World Health Organization. The antenatal care services and delivery services were utilized suboptimally, and postnatal care visits were significantly lower. Socio-economic factors such as family income and education of women correlated considerably with maternal health care utilization. Women with higher education levels and higher family income were more likely to go for frequent antenatal check-ups, have TT vaccinations, deliver in hospitals, and visit more postnatal check-ups than women with lower education levels and lower family income. The findings indicate that there are unmet needs of maternal health care access to women living in the squatters of Nepal. It is therefore important to implement targeted incentive programs and maternal health awareness campaigns to increase the utilization of maternal health services among women living in squatter settlements in Nepal.
Key words: Antenatal, Delivery, Postnatal, Maternal health services, Squatter.